Guiding means for parachutes



Nov. 8 1932. A. A. LONGAKER GUIDING MEANS FOR PARACHUTES Filed Sept. 17, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l NOV. 8, 1932. oNa 'fiR 1,887,030

GUIDINGYMEANS FOR PARACHUTES Filed Sept. 17; 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 8, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE-7* n-mama: n. muomn, or Tenn-Ton, NEW-amass! eumrive means non PARACHU-TES I Application filed September 17,1930. Serial No. 482,393. My invention relates to parachute mocha I use thecentral terminal plate 7 also as a nisrn with particular reference to a'means 'f or bearing support for an angularly adjustable guiding the direction of the parachute delateralair discharge spout 11 providing the scent. p'l'ate'with a'n upwardly flanged suitable cir- A pu'rpose'of my invention is'to impel a de' cularopening at 12 which receives a downscending parachute laterally by the reaction Wardly directed flange 130i a turn base'inount of'laterally discharging air, using the Weight 1e that forms the inlet terminal of the disand movement of the'descendin structure to charge spout. impel the air anda regulation of'thedireo The discharge spout includes the light 10 tion ofzair discharge to steer the parachute etal mount 14; at the spout inlet, a'ringor laterally during its descent. nozzle 15 atthe spout outlet a collapsible ac- A f r her purpose is to placean angularly cordion 16 between the inlet and outlet meIn adjustable air discharge spout above and on bers and rocker structure 17 for positioning the body of the parachute, preferably on a the outlet'end ofthe spout. light metal central terminal plate of the The turn base mount 1 L of the spoutfis a shrouds, passingv air from beneath the *para- I light casting, flanged downwardlyat 13 to chute up through'the s out toanangular y fit inside the opening 12 through the ter. adjustable lateral disc arge, changing the minal plate and upwardly at 18 to receive angle of dischargeto effect a'lateral st'eerthe downwardly directed inlet end of the 20 ing of the descent. f fabric accordion and'extended outwardly to Furtherpurposes will appear in the specitorm' a sheave I 19 for a rope 20 used for fication and in the claims. 1 i the angular regulation of the position of the I have elected'to show one only of the many turn base. formsof my invention, selecting however a The turn base 14 also carries inwardly 25 form thatis practical and efiicient in operaextending spokes 21- which support a vertition and which Well illustratesthe principles cally bored central boss 22 for carrying and involved. i guiding a *va1ve23 at the inlet of the turn Figure l is a fra entary elevation illus base. Y I tr'ating an opened c ute with equipment 'em- The valve 23 controls the rate of discharge Q bodying one form of my invention. of air through the spout and'thereby the Figure? isa fragmentary'top plan view of force with which the parachute is impelled thestructure shown in Figure 1. laterally during its descent.

'Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation Whenthe valve 23 is closed the descent of Figures 1 and 2. is merely. that due to gravity as modified by 35 Figures; is an enlarged fragmentary section natural air currents, and air resistance. taken in the plane of the paper of Figure 3. The valve 23 is carried on a central up- 40 ure's.

, Figuref5. is an enlarged fragment of Figwardly extending stem 24 which passes ure {L i through and is, guided by the central boss22, 'Like numerals referto like parts in all figthe valve being spring pressed upwardly,

' a a toward closure at 25 and carrying a rope or Describing inillustration and not in limithe like 26 that extends downwardly tofthe tation and referrin'g to'the drawings operator.

' In the conventional illustration the fabric The rope 26 is pulled downward to open the body 6 of thepar'achute extends, outwardly valve whenever it is desired to use the disfrom a'plate7 that forms a terminal for both charge through the spout to effect a lateral 5 of the user. positionediby the rocker structure 17 which the "fabric body and also for the shrouds "8 movement o'fthe parachute. which pass outwardly over'the fabric'to the The discharge spout is made collapsible outer edge thereof at 9-and thence converge like an accordion, the outletring 15 which diagonally downwardly-at 10=to the support 1s at the extreme outlet of'the spout being 00 has pivot support at 27 upon the outer end of a bracket 28 from the turn base and carries the ring at its upper end, the connection at 29 between the ring and rocker structure optionally being a rigid one in order to secure a definite angular positioning of the ring when the rocker is in its raised position. The rocker 17 desirably comprises spaced radius rods connected by fabric that is desirably reinforced with suitable. wiring30. In collapsing position of the spout the rocker lies flat against the turn base 14.

During descent of the parachute the spout will normally occupy its collapsed position until or unless the valve 23 at the inlet of the spout has been opened after which the air escaping upwardly from under the parachute to find outlet through the spout raises the spout to the position shown in the figures, the rocker 17 then being vertical and the discharge being horizontal with a resultant reaction tending to impel the parachute lat erally in a direction opposite to that of the air discharge. a

I preferably provide roller bearing connection between the terminal plate 7 and the turn base 14, illustrating the central flange of the terminal plate as being formed with a runway at 31 and an outwardly extending flange 32 with which I have provided a suitable bolt and gib connection 33 with the turn base, this connection permitting rotation of the turn base with respect to the terminal plate but preventing any longitudinal movement of one plate with respect to the other in a direction longitudinal of the axis of rotation, that is preventing longitudinal separatlon of the turn base from the terminal plate.

In operation a user during descent, steers the parachute laterally by the ropes 26 and 20, pulling on the rope 26 to open the discharge valve 23 and then suitably adjusting the angular direction of discharge by pulling spout with respect to the body.

on the rope 20, controlling the force with which the parachute is impelled by varying the opening of the valve 28. In view of my invention and disclosure variations and modifications to meet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident to others skilled in the art, to obtain all or part of the benefits of my invention without copying the structure shown, and I, therefore, claim all such in so far as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to'secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a parachute, a body for preventing rapid descent, an air spout having a vertical inlet from below the body and a lateral outlet above the body and means for angularly regulating the direction of outlet of the 2. In a parachute, a body for preventing rapid descent having an opening for upward air discharge, an air discharge spout includ ing inlet and outlet terminals and an intermediate collapsible accordion, the inlet terminal comprising a turn base around the opening, a lateral bracket on the turn base a radius support for the outlet terminal positioning the outlet along an arcuate path and having a pivot on the bracket and means for adjusting the angular position of the turn base.

3. In a parachute, a body for preventing rapid descent, an air spout having a vertical inlet from below the body and a lateral outlet above the body, a valve controlling the passage of air through the spout and means for angularly regulating the direction of outlet of the spout with respect to the body.

4. A parachute, walls forming an air outlet therefrom directed at an angle to the axis of the chute, a mounting for the walls permitting them to turn with respect to the chute and means for effecting a turning movement ofthe outlet to direct a descent of the parachute.

5. Aparachute having an outlet, a valve and valve-control therefor to determine the extent of flow through the outlet, walls directing the outlet air at an angle to the axis of the parachute and turning means for altering the direction of the outlet with respect to the body of the parachute.

6. A para'chute,'a controllable outlet for air from the upper part of the parachute, walls for altering the direction of the discharge from the outlet with respect to the axis of the parachute, the'walls being collapsible for folding and turning means within the reach of the parachute operator for {evolubly altering the direction of the outet. 7. A parachute body having an opening at its approximate center, a bellows outlet therefrom discharging at an angle to the axis of the parachute, a circular mount for the bellows adapting it to be turned with respect to the body of the chute and a cord and pulley connection with the bellows moving it in the mount.

8. A parachute body having an opening at its approximate center, a bellows outlet therefrom discharging at an angle to the axis of the parachute, a circular mount for the bellows adapting it to be turned with respect to the body of the chute, a cord and pulley connection with the bellows moving it in the mount and valve means for controlling the amount of outlet air passing through the bellows.

9. A parachute body, a central opening, a tube outlet therefrom discharging at an angle with the vertical axis of the parachute and a valve in said discharge. 1

10. A parachute having a central opening, 

